Best Friends
by Lamanth
Summary: Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. Ino/Temari Friendship
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: This is for my Nixy, she is the Temari to my Ino. Which means the world will probably implode when we get together.

**Muse:** I just wish your world would implode, give me some peace.

_Dedi:_ Now if only some could give use Muse in pieces. This collection is dedicated to **shadowphoenix101**.

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_Well she's hotter than hell,  
And she's cool as they come,  
And she's smart and she's wild,  
All rolled into one,_

* * *

_**Friends: Borrows your stuff for a few days then give it back.**_

_**Best Friends: Takes your stuff and keeps it for so long they forget it's yours.**_

"Well what d'ya think?" Ino said as she pirouetted in the centre of the room, lost her balance and would have fallen to the floor if she hadn't grabbed hold of Kankuro's shoulder.

The puppeteer howled as her sharp nails almost broke the skin and angrily swatted her hands away while his younger brother just rolled his eyes at the interaction between the two of them. Braking free the blonde twirled again, once more seizing the brunette to keep her balance and causing him to bellow in pain once more.

"Well?" The ice-eyed blonde demanded impatiently, her voice drowning out Kankuro's mutterings about tying her up with chakra strings. "How d'you think it looks?"

Gaara took in the sight of his latest sister clad in a figure-hugging wrap around dress of dark amethyst silk that she had borrowed from his biological sister. The dark colour of the fabric and the contrast it made with her smooth creamy skin was delectable but as Kazekage he knew better than to say anything, there was also the fact that if he did, regardless of his rank, Temari would probably try and kill him.

"You look good." Kankuro said gruffly, still making a great show of rubbing his shoulder.

"Doesn't she just," Temari strode into the room her black boots beating out a tattoo on the hardwood floor and the blood red fabric of her skirt fluttering around her well toned legs. "And we all know I do."

"Uh-huh." Ino nodded her eyes shining. "I never expected you to have anything in this colour though."

"No," Temari said, teal eyes clouding with confusion. "I've been trying to remember where and when I bought."

"You didn't." All eyes turned to focus on Gaara who was once again buried in the paperwork he'd been doing when Ino waltzed into the room. "You borrowed it off of Ino when you were trying to seduce Nara."

"Oh yeah," Ino's grin almost split her face in two. "I thought I recognised it."

"I wonder if Shika will?" Temari arched a brow at her _sister_ and chuckled in the back of her throat. "Probably not since I wasn't in it for long."

"What!?" The combined yell of the Kazekage and his brother almost hit the pain threshold.

"What she said was that Shika had her out of that dress faster than –" Ino began but was cut off before she could divulge just what the Nara had moved faster than.

"I know what she was getting at…" The puppeteer started a scowl furrowing his brow.

"And what Shika was getting at too." Ino giggled happily at the revolted look that crossed Gaara's face at the picture her words presented.

"…I just don't want to hear about it." Kankuro finished, pretending not to have heard the interruption. "I don't even want to think about my sister like that."

"Spoil sport." Temari stated clearly amused by how uncomfortable her brother was by the conversation. "But the fact remains you look super hot Yammy and there's no way that Sasuke will be able to keep himself from slipping his hand up your skirt the first chance he gets."

"AGH!" The brunet wailed, grabbing at his hair and tugging violently at it. "It don't want to hear about that either."

"Just cus you're jealous," Ino cooed waving her finger at Kankuro. "Just cus you haven't got laid in – "

"Enough!" Gaara snarled small fountains of sand exploding in all directions and causing the papers on his desk to spill onto the floor. "I don't what to know about the sex lives of any of you."

"Well talking of people who haven't had it in ages..." The sand shinobi started, looking pointedly at his baby brother.

The cries and shrikes were heard on the street below as three teens bolted from the room, a cloud of sand controlled by a fuming Kazekage in hot pursuit.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and happy Christmas

Lamanth


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: Well it took me a little longer that planed, I needed info about ice-cream, but here is the second part of this collection.

**Muse:** Thank-you's and bowls of ice-cream for **WolfFlowerz,** _Yoruichi 'Ino',_ **pixieface Lust,** _kiwi4m4,_ **shelvesinthecloset,** _shadowphoenix101,_ **AkemiYumikov3** and _e l e c t r o,_ who all reviewed the last drabble.

_Dedi:_ This drabble is dedicated to **WolfFlowerz**

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_I bet you want the goodies,  
Bet you thought about it,  
Got you all hot and bothered,  
Mad cause I talk around it,  
Lookin for the goodies,  
Keep on lookin' cuz they stay in the jar,_

* * *

_**Friends: Never ask for anything to eat or drink.**_

_**Best Friends: Helps themselves and are the reasons why you have no food.**_

"Would you like something to eat?" Ino asked the pink haired medic who was currently sat on one of the comfy two chairs that were part of the blonde's living room furniture.

Sakura just shook her head indicating that she didn't want anything, which was just as well because just at that moment a loud voice echoed through the entire house. "I hope neither of you wants anything, you're all out of food Yammy."

"Oh shit!" The arctic coloured blonde swore, ignoring her friend's disapproving look as she stalked towards the kitchen. "What happened to that box of cookies I bought the other day?"

"Cookies?" Came the muffled response as Ino entered the kitchen to be immediately confronted with the sight of Temari's pert backside sticking up in the air. The sand kunoichi was on her hands and knees rummaging in the back of one of the cupboards in the vain hope that she might find something worth eating.

"Yeah, cookies. I know I got some." Ino said, dropping down next to the other blonde so that she could help in the search.

"I finished those off last night," The navy-eyed girl said flashing an unrepentant grin at her bestfriend. "My bad."

"You what!?" The mind walker wailed looking reproachfully at her friend.

She had been saving those cookies, they where special ones with milk and white chocolate chips and she had to hide them twice when Choji had been round. Not to mention the times she had had to spirit them out of her father's clutches, the elder Yamanaka seemed to have a built in cookie radar. And now after all her hard work, all her effort Temari had snaffled the packet and scoffed the lot of them. The greedy little bitch.

"Yeah, sorry. But I was hungry… and well you know why I needed the sugar." The sand kunoichi's sly grin reminded Ino of their conversation of the previous night.

Yes, she knew full well why her friend needed the sugar. It was just a good thing that Abram Shino hadn't have come over as well, he too would have needed an energy boot Ino had no doubt. Though if it had been the bug-nin her cookies would probably have been safe, he wasn't they type to go for sweet things. Just take Temari for example, sweet was just about the last word that Ino would use to describe her friend.

"I'm going." Sakura's irritated voice floated in from the living room, but both blondes ignored her. A fact that only had the rosette female slamming the front door even more violently closed as she departed.

"Oh, it's all right." Ino said, smiling happily and punching the other girl on the shoulder just had enough to knock her off balance. "I forgive you."

"Good." Temari jumped to her feet with the elegance only a ninja, or a cat, could possess and pulled the other blonde to her feet. "There's some ice-cream back at the guest apartments, we can have that."

"Pity Sakura left." Ino said, though she wasn't really bothered.

Her relationship with the pink haired medic was… well strained would be an understatement. Sakura had never really be able to get over the fact that when he came back, Sasuke had chosen Ino rather than his former team-mate. There was also the sight problem caused by the fact that the Uchiha took every opportunity to flaunt his new relationship.

"I don't know why." The wind princess responded blithely. "She's on yet another diet, isn't she. Ice-cream would be wasted on her."

"True… what flavour ice-cream is it anyway?" Ino asked as she linked arms with Temari and the pair vanished though the kitchen door.

"Duh! Cookies and Cream of course." Both girls burst out laughing, it was the Suna kunoichi's favourite flavour after all, and in fact she hardly ate any other.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: Well what d'ya know, I'm updating again already. Aren't you all happy?

**Muse:** I'd be happier if you never updated anything ever again. But I guess we should say thank you to **WolfFlowerz,** _kiwi4m4,_ **SlEePyVaMpIrE,** _shadowphoenix101,_ **AkemiYumikov3** and _Yoruichi 'Ino', _who all reviewed that last drabble. You may all have one hug with Gaara.

_Dedi:_ This drabble is dedicated to **WolfFlowerz,**

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_Yeah, yeah! Uh-oh, we're in trouble,  
Gotta get home quick march on the double!  
We've been out all night and we haven't been home,  
We're walkin' through the back streets ...all alone!  
The party was great, yeah we were really frilled!  
And when we get in we're gonna get killed,_

* * *

_**Friends: Would bail you out of jail.**_

_**Best Friends: Would be sitting next to you saying "Well, that was fun!!"**_

Hyuuga Hinata glanced nervously around as she headed towards the building that housed Konoha's ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force. She didn't know what the pair had done to warrant being locked up in one of the interrogation cells and part of her didn't want to know. It might just be that Ino had tired her mentor, Morino Ibiki, patience one time too many and so he had locked her up just to get some peace and quiet. And if he was locking up one he might as well deal with the other half of the double act, so Temari had ended up in there with her.

That was one possible explanation, but as the Hyuuga heiress made her way along the corridor she had been pointed down she got the feeling that this time the two had done far more than that. She hesitated slightly in the doorway when she saw that the sand kunoichi's two younger brothers were already inside Ibiki's office and all three men looked less than pleased.

She bowed politely to each of them in turn before seating her self gratefully in the proffered chair and silently prayed that she wouldn't have to wait too long to find out what the two blondes had been up to. Hinata didn't think her nerves would be able to stand it.

On their own both Ino and Temari were forces to be reckoned with but when they were together… An involuntary shudder ran through the Hyuuga as tendrils of fear crept up and down her spine. She found herself unconsciously reverting to her pre adolescent habit of twisting her hands together as an outward sign of distress. There was no telling what damage the pair of blondes could have done, what trouble they could of cause or what unfortunate people they could have encountered along the way.

Morino Ibiki looked furious and from the way the pen he was holding trembled slightly as he did various bits of paper work it was clear that he was only just managing to keep a hold on his temper. A fact that was conformed when the pen actually snapped in two and saturated the paper in front of him with blue ink.

Kankuro was also seemingly unable to sit still. One foot was bouncing up and down in time with a beat that only he seemed to be able to hear and he was twitching his fingers as if he were pulling the strings of one of his puppets. His movements were only adding to Hinata's high state of nervousness and the way those intense dark eyes of his flew to the door every time someone walked down the corridor wasn't helping either.

By contrast the Kazekage was sat frozen in his chair, looking as if he had been carved from marble. The extraordinary jade orbs were focused on a point on the wall behind Ibiki's desk, some three feet above the man's head, except those eyes still ringed by dark shadows due to lake of sleep seemed to be looking through the wall. Small fountains of sand were springing to life around his feet, creating odd distorted shapes, which quickly died only to be replaced by more.

Yes, Hinata knew that the demon that had dwelt within Gaara had been extracted but that didn't make the redhead any less intimidating. Setting aside the whole demon factor, the fact remained that he was the leader of the Hidden Sand Village, one of the most powerful and influential people alive and the strongest ally to her own beloved Konoha. He was also currently siting there like a parent called into school because of the antics of their child.

The question briefly floated in Hinata's mind that if Gaara was responsible for Temari, did the fact that she was here make her responsible for Ino? The opal-eyed young woman hoped not.

She was thankful yet even more wary when only a few minuets later the door to the office was opened and the two females in question were escorted in. The indigo haired young woman wondered if she should be more worried since the shinobi who brought them in was having to bite quite hard on his lip to keep from grinning.

"Before any of you say anything," Ino started, looking round at the un-amused faces. "None of it was our fault."

"Exactly," Temari added, as she too glared at the assembled company as though they were disagreeing with her. "Any guy who tries to grope a trained kunoichi deserves whatever he gets."

Hinata hid her face in her hands, while Ibiki shot a dark scowl at the pair even as Kankuro fought to control his sniggers. The small tornado's of sand that were whipping around Gaara's feet increased in intensity and a low growl rolled from the back of his throat, but both girls ignored his display of anger too intent on reliving the moment that had got them in this situation.

"But the look on his face…" Ino trailed off, too over come by giggles to speak and having to lean on Temari to keep from falling over.

"Priceless!" She managed to howl, before she too was over come by mirth and the pair broke down completely.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: Well here is the nest instalment of this insane thing, all I can say is I hope you all enjoy it.

Muse: We give thanks and hot chocolate to **WolfFlowerz,** _shadowphoenix101,_ **sad little monkey,** _maddy02erik,_ **kiwi4m4,** _AkemiYumikov3,_ **Yoruichi 'Ino',** _handna95_ and **Drunksonic,** who all reviewed.

**Dedi:** This drabble is dedicated to **Drunksonic.**

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_Ring, ring,  
Why don't you give me a call,  
Ring, ring,  
The happiest sound of them all,  
Ring, ring,  
I stare at the phone on the wall,  
And I sit all alone impatiently,_

* * *

_**Friends: Asks you to write down your number.**_

_**Best Friends: Has you on speed dial.**_

The two blondes were out of the door almost before the bell had rung signalling the start of lunch and bounded down the corridor, scattering a group of startled first years, towards their lockers. It was a daily routine and most of the student body now moved out of the path of the two blue eyed ballistic missiles without even realising it. It had become a survival instinct, it was either get out of the way or they'd run you over.

They skidded to a halt, shoes squeaking on the floor, by their respective lockers, which handily were right next to each other. And as they set about the task of placing stuff on the shelves and removing the things that they would want over lunch they continued the debate that they had begun during class. A heated conversation discussing the rumour that a certain Hyuuga Neji was thinking about asking out a charming brunette girl of their acquaintance. Not that they would ever think of lowering themselves by gossiping about their friend's love life.

"He will."

"He won't."

"Will!"

"Won't!"

"Yup."

"Nope."

It was the verbal equivalent of a tennis match, the only difference being that no one, apart from the two blonde's in question, had any idea what the rules were. It was a common enough feeling for anyone who spent much time in the company of Yamanaka Ino and Sabaku no Temari, the feeling that you were playing some sort of game. But more over it was the sort of game where the rules, most of which you didn't know anyway, kept on changing the more you played.

"I tell you he will." Ino insisted, nodding her head for emphasis while she scrabbled around on the top shelf for her iPod.

"And I tell you he won't." Temari was just as insistent as her pale skinned friend was. "Hyuuga won't ask Tenten out no matter how much he likes her, cus he's got a stick shoved so far up his ass that –"

"Hey guys." The sugar sweet voice broke through the friendly bickering and both girls turned to face the new comer.

"Oh, hey Sakura." Ino said, giving the green eyed girl a slight smile, while Temari ignored her presence and just rubbed her shoulder which her bestfriend had hit with a textbook only moments before.

"Ino can you tell me your number?" Sakura said, smiling at the two blonde's now leaning side by side against the lockers. "I've got a new phone and lost all my numbers."

"Sure," Ino responded, digging around in her pocket for her own mobile. "Just wait while I find it, I know I programmed it on here."

"You don't know your own number?" The pink haired teen gasped a little shocked.

"Nope." She said, light blue eyes dancing as she flashed a megawatt smile in her bestfriend's direction who just shock her head in resignation.

"But you've had the same one for about three years now." The incredulity was clearly evident in Sakura's voice, she, no doubt had already memorised her new phone number.

"Well its not like she ever has to call herself, is it?" Temari finely entered the conversation and didn't bother to keep the withering sarcasm out of her voice. There was just something about the Haruno girl that always seemed to rub her up the wrong way.

"Don't you know Ino's number? You're _supposed_ to be bestfriends after all." The not so subtle jibe about the definition of their friendship was not missed by either blonde and Temari suddenly recalled just what it was about the preppy pink haired female that got to her so much. It was the fact that she was a sneaky, underhand bitch.

"Nah, I just press '2' then call," The dark blonde girl said as she suppressed a yawn. "S' called speed dial ya know pinky."

"Two?" Ino repeated, eyeing the other blonde with interest. "Then who's number one?

"No doubt it's Nara." And the smile that Sakura flashed the pair was anything but friendly. "Picking a guy over Ino doesn't sound like the sort of thing a real bestfriend would do."

"Nah. Shika's number seven, right behind my shrink." Came the blithe response as Temari rolled her eyes before turning to her bestfriend "One is Pizza Hut, of course. You really should have known that since you programmed in the number."

"Oh yeah." Ino said as recollection struck and latching onto Temari's arm the pair began bouncing off down the corridor once more leaving in their wake one rather pissed of Haruno Sakura.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: I've been a bit of a bitch in this one, but with a prompt like this what else could I do? It was so much fun.

**Muse:** Thank you to **WolfFlowerz,** _sad little monkey, _**AkemiYumikov3,** _kiwi4m4, _**Yoruichi 'Ino',** _shadowphoenix101,_ **hakuisagirl **and _deathrosekitty, _for reviewing the last instalment. (hands out wax images of Shikamaru and pots of pins) You'll know why by the time you get to the end.

_Dedi:_ This drabble is dedicated to **deathrosekitty**

Lamb: Also I would like to say a big thank you to my beta reader, hakuisagirl.

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_You should've said no, you should've gone home,  
You should've thought twice before you let it all go,  
You should've know that word, bout what you did with her,  
Would get back to me..._

* * *

_**Friends: Will let you cry on their shoulder.**_

_**Best Friends: Will say 'don't worry, you'll find someone else' and when you're in the bathroom wiping mascara off of your face will kick him in the shins and list all the things he's missing.**_

"It'll be Ok Temmy." Ino smiled as her eyes met the reflected gaze of her best friend in the mirror. "You'll find someone else, someone better."

The other three other girls exchanged looks in the big mirror that ran behind the sinks in the girls bathroom, while between them a teal eyed blonde switched back and froth between sobbing and growling. Mascara had left black streaks across her cheeks which were flushed red and her unruly dark blonde hair looked even more wild than normal.

"I'm Ok. Really, I'm fine." Sabaku no Temari sniffed then wiped the back of her hand over her face staining it black in the process. "It's my own fault, I should have known better."

"If anyone's to blame here it's him." A rosette girl with emerald eyes snapped. "He's the one who screwed around not you."

"Sakura-chan is right, Shikamaru is the one in the wrong not you." Hinata said softly, rubbing soothing circles on the blonde's back while beside her a tall brunet nodded her agreement.

Suddenly the sound of screams and yells from the corridor echoed in the air causing all four girls to jump and turn to look at the door. At which point they noticed that there were only four of them, that Yamanaka Ino was gone and the sounds of screaming was getting louder.

As one the group bolted for the door.

Flash Back

"I'm going to count to three Nara!" The ice eyed blonde yelled, effectively gaining the attention of every student in the corridor and also causing the boy she had addressed to turn and face her.

"Ino this is none of your damn business." The lazy genius said as he watched the girl he had known since birth advance on him fury written in every line of her perfectly made up face.

"You made it my business when you hurt Temari." She wasn't yelling now, in the silence of the hallway there was no need for raised voices. "One."

"It's not like I set out to hurt her, you're blowing this way out of proportion." Dark eyes regarded her unemotionally though she could see the word_ troublesome_ floating in the forefront of his mind. "And it's still none of your business."

He was taller than she was and Ino had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes but she didn't care. Yeah, he was taller, and was also stronger and in spite of his laziness a far better athlete than she could ever be and starting a fight with him should have been the last thing that she tried to do. But Ino was a bitch and had lived her life by one rule:

_'She's my best friend, break her heart and I'll break your... which ever body part I get my hands on first.'_

"Two."

She brought her knee up sharply and buried it in Shikamaru's groin, with a satisfyingly meaty noise. Moving like a practiced dance, she half turned to bring into full force her elbow which caught him directly in the kidneys. She smiled widely as the male collapsed down into his private universe of pain.

"Three." Ino told the ball of pain on the floor at her feet. She had heard of fighting fair and long ago decided she wanted no part of it, especially when the person she was fighting had hurt her best friend.

End Flash Back

The arctic blonde was if full flow when Temari, flanked by Tenten and Sakura with Hinata bringing up the rear, emerged from the girls bathroom. She took in the sight of her ex-boyfriend curled up on the floor in front of her enraged best friend who was shrieking like a banshee.

Her words were ringing in the air, echoing off of the lockers that lined both sides of the hallway and all the Nara could do was lie there whimpering slightly as her words poured over him like so much boiling acid.

"That girl was the best thing that every happened to you, that will ever happen to you, but you screwed it all up because you couldn't keep it in your damn pants. You're not worthy to so much as look at her. You know what? In fact I'm happy that the two of you are over because she can do so much better than someone like you. But you on the other hand will never have it so good again. So I'm just gonna ask you this, that little skank, that one off fuck that was hardly worth remembering, was it worth it? You've lost everything and you're never going to get it back so don't even try. Even if you come crawling over broken glass what I'll do to you will make this seem like a walk in the park."

Pausing only long enough to kick him in the shin Ino turned on her heel and marched over to where her friends where standing. She slipped her arm through Temari's and began walking off with her the other girls following behind.

As he slowly started to get to his feet, wincing all the while, Nara Shikamaru just managed to catch the tail end of the conversation between the two blondes before they vanished from sight.

"There's just one thing Tem..."

"Hmm, what's that?"

"When he does come back where the hell are we going to bury his body?"

The sound of female laughter echoed down the corridor.

-------

Some half an hour later, in a local cafe, seated in front of the biggest milkshake her friends had been able to procure Sabaku no Temari thought about the events of the past few hours. It was true that the betrayal of her now ex boyfriend still hurt like hell and she was sure that it would continue to do so for a very long time. Ino's little stunt had made one thing clear beyond a doubt, she now knew just who her friends were and just how far they would go to protect her.

And in the case of Yamanaka Ino it would probably be to hell and back if that's what was called for.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: As was said so recently by my wife 'I love making Gaara sweat', he thought it was bad with Shukaku living in his head but it's worse now that he's living in mine.

**Muse:** It's getting very crowded in here. We give thanks (and a rather old piece of Lamb's birthday cake) to **WolfFlowerz,** _allie oops,_ **sad little monkey,** _shelvesinthecloset,_ **AkemiYumikov3,** _kljjlkjlkj,_ **deathrosekitty,** _kiwi4m4,_ **shadowphoenix101,** and _Doctor Giggles_.

_Dedi:_ Too crowded, anyway this drabble is dedicated to **shelvesinthecloset**

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_Nobody wants to blow,  
Nobody wants to be left out,  
You can't leave, 'cause your heart is there,  
But you can't stay, 'cause you been somewhere else,  
You can't cry, 'cause you'll look broke down,  
But you're cryin' anyway 'cause you're all broke down,  
It's a family affair,_

* * *

_**Friends: Call your parents by Mr. and Mrs. and are polite to your siblings.**_

_**Best Friends: Call your parents DAD and MUM and treat you siblings as their own.**_

"Hey Bro!" Ino called happily, before glomping the redhead tightly ignoring his growl of protest.

Gaara mumbled something unintelligible under his breath and tried to wriggle free of the blonde's grip. Having one sister was bad enough but somehow he seemed to have gained another one and he wasn't even sure how that had come to pass. And the worst thing was nether Temari or Ino had any respect for his rank, he was the Kazekage for fucks sake but they just treated him like their little kid brother.

Life was not fair the redhead thought grumpily and was only slightly mollified by the fact that Ino, who had let go of him, was now nodding her head in agreement while his biological sister berated Kankuro for Kami-sama only knows what. Gaara almost longed to be able to return to the days when he could have just killed the lot of them and no one would have dared to say a thing. Almost, but not quite.

The pair of girls were always joking that Kami-sama had made them best friends because their respective families wouldn't have been able to cope with them being sisters. He, Gaara thought as he first glared up at Ino, who was leaning casually against a chair, and then at Temari, who was hitting a very sorry for himself puppeteer repeatedly in the shoulder, couldn't even deal with them being best friends. And neither from the look of it could Kankuro, who had finally managed to evade the wind princess only to be hit up side the head by the mind walker.

Though, and the former demon vessel could not suppress a slight smile at the thought, his life would have probably been very different if Ino had been his biological sister. His father had been a cold and calculating man, using the fear he inspired in others as a way of keeping in control. But from what he had heard right from the start the man had had problems in getting Temari to bend to his will and if he had had to deal with Ino too…

Yes, Gaara thought, his life might well have been very different. The Kazekage would have been far too busy trying to rain in the dynamic duo and keep Suna from falling down around his ears dew to their antics to have even been able to spare a moment to think of sealing a demon spirit within his unborn son.

Sure the two blondes were a pain when they were together but there were compensations. Now if only he could remember what they were…

Yes it was true that his life was more, not exactly enjoyable, but certainly more interesting.

He was having to stop a war braking out every other day, the two blondes when they were together were one of the most destructive forces he had ever had the misfortune to encounter. And probably the most destructive force Kankuro had ever encountered. The pair seemed to have made it their mission in life, after driving him insane, to warn every girl with in the five nations about the Suna puppeteer. The up shot of which was if Gaara wasn't having to listen to the two blue-eyed kunoichi plot world domination then he was having to put with hearing his older brother complain about his non-existent sex life.

"So... what ya doing?" The former Jinchūriki barley managed to hold back a growl of irritation as Ino draped herself over his shoulder and started nosing her way through the stack of paperwork on his desk. "Man this is dull, who knew being a Kage would be so boring."

"It's not really," Temari interjected as she leaned over Gaara's other shoulder; really he was starting to feel surrounded. "There's a big risk of paper cuts."

As the pair of blondes burst into peals of delighted laughter the redhead winced and wondered if they had just perforated both of his eardrums. Their mirth at Temari's rather pathetic joke was so excessive that they ended up leaning all of their weight on him so he had to fight not to end up flattened on the desk top. Managing to raise himself part way up, his mouth twisted into a snarl at the slight of Kankuro doubled over in silent laughter.

They said that you could choose your friends but not your relatives, and perhaps that was true. All Gaara knew was that he hadn't chosen any of his oh so annoying siblings, but yet here they were. All three of them.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

* * *

Lamb: I gave Shika a really raw deal a chapter or so back and I thought that to be fair it would only be right for Sasuke to end up on the receiving end of the wrath of our blonde duo too. Also please check out my latest poll, I really need the input.

**Muse:** It's not a good end to be on. Thank you to **Coco-Minu,** _WolfFlowerz,_ **AkemiYumikov**_**,**__ Yoruichi 'Ino',_ **kiwi4m4,** and shadowphoenix101, who all reviewed that last chapter.

_Dedi:_ This drabble is dedicated to **Coco-Minu**

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_State the obvious, I didn't get my perfect fantasy,  
I realise you love yourself more than you could ever love me,  
So go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy,  
That's fine I'll tell mine you're gay,_

* * *

_**Friends: Will comfort you when he brakes up with you.**_

_**Best Friends: Will tell anyone that will listen that it's because he is really gay.**_

Temari suppressed a snigger and continued flooding her laptop with instructions. It was true what people said payback was a bitch and so was she. Another few clicks of the mouse and her wicked grin almost split her face in two. The person who had come up with Photo Shop was a bleeding genius in her opinion, though they had probably never intended their program to be used in her plot to get revenge.

And what a perfectly bitchy piece of revenge it was going to be. A punishment that perfectly fitted the crime.

She glanced over her shoulder at her friend who, after almost two hours of crying, had finally fallen into a deep sleep. Overwrought, emotional and with her hormones out of whack to boot, Yamanaka Ino had exhausted herself and would in all likely hood sleep through the night and well into the next day. Good thing that tomorrow was Saturday.

A good thing for Ino and a good thing for Temari, but a bad thing for a certain dark haired boy.

Despite her harsh and often abrasive personality Sabaku no Temari was a fairly easy going sort of person. She didn't get involved with the problems of people outside of her small group of friends and even with them would think twice before getting involved. She put some of it down to the influence of her own lazy assed boyfriend, but mostly it was just because it was not in her nature to get tangled up in other peoples issues.

She looked over at her sleeping best friend once more and her expression was something between a smirk and a snarl. Normally she just let everyone get on with their own shit and stayed out of it as best she could. But not this time. The Yamanaka was her best friend, in truth they were more like sisters, but even with that bond Temari might have left things alone if....

Ino's love life was her own business, and normally Temari didn't really care who or what she did. Like a true friend she would always help pick up the pieces, but that was it. But not this time. Because this time Yamanaka Ino hadn't just been dumped. This time the slimy little snake that had dared to call himself the blonde's boyfriend had publicly humiliated her in front of almost the enter school and he'd done out of pure spite.

This time she couldn't pick up the pieces because there were too many and they were small enough to pass through the eye of a needle. No, this time Ino hadn't been broken she'd literally shattered like so much spun glass. This time it wasn't possible for her to just sit back and let things to take their own course, this time Temari would get involved.

Teal eyes glittered with triumph as she saved the freshly altered photo and started in on reshaping the third and final one. She had the whole weekend to lay the groundwork for her plan, which would come to fruition around midday on Monday.

Uchiha Sasuke would rue the day he decided to mess with the heart of Yamanaka Ino; she would make sure of that.

-------

The whispers and hushed conversations started to follow the Uchiha down the corridors of Konoha High first thing on Monday morning. People would watch him intently and then turn away quickly when he faced them. Students would point and mummer things he could not catch before being hushed by their companions. Even his friends were giving him strange looks that he couldn't quite work out the meaning behind.

True there had been all that business with his very public brake up on Friday and he already knew first hand what the high school gossip mill was like. In truth he hadn't handled the whole thing very well, but Yamanaka Ino had the rare gift of being able to drive him completely insane. Ok so he maybe had over reacted a little but the girl had driven him to it.

Yes, that must be it, he decided.

"Hey Sasuke," The voice interrupted his musings and he turned to see one Uzumaki Naruto standing just behind him. "Look man I think what you did to Ino was really harsh but at least now I understand why you did it. And while I still think you're a bastard and the world's biggest git, I'm here if you need a friend. But just a friend."

The guy was gone before the dark haired teen could ask him what in the name of hell he was talking about. Sasuke just shook it off as the blond being his normal brain dead, seme-delusional self. But by the time lunch rolled around no less than five other people had come up to him and made similar statements and there were only a few explanations he could come up with.

Group hallucination was highly improbably, so he had ruled that one out almost before the thought had finished forming in his mind.

Hallucinogenic drugs were also sort of a none starter since one of the people who had come up to him was Rock Lee who had a whole 'My body is a temple' deal going on and wouldn't even touch caffeine let along mushrooms of the magic kind.

-------

Temari smirked as she saw the object of her plan walking down the hallway towards her, apparently lost in thought. It was all too perfect, she thought, the pieces of her plan were falling into place better than she could have ever dreamed.

"Ok Ten," The dark blonde spoke into her mobile phone. "Now."

Five floors above the brunet gave the thumbs up to the indigo haired girl standing on the opposite side of the landing and the pair started to throw the photos that they had in hand into space. They watched with child like glee as they floated like autumn leaves to the ground floor far bellow. Students screamed and pointed and arms reached out and grabbed the things as they fluttered passed on they way to the ground floor.

Sabaku no Temari leaned against the wall and could not hold back a grin of pure malice as one photo floated down and came to rest face up directly in the path of the Uchiha. The time she had had to spend in the library photocopying her three little creations was worth it just to see the look on his face. A red flush seemed to burn along his cheeks and his eyes almost bugged out of his head making him look like a goldfish that had just been strangled.

She had done her job well and no one would ever be able to identify the three females, one of whom was Ino, who had been in the photos originally. But it was clear to see that it was Uchiha Sasuke who was shoving his tongue down the throats of three unknown males.

"So I take it you've finally decided to come out, Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was sweet, far too sweet to be genuine and her eyes were dancing with mirth.

"You," Sasuke hissed, storming over to her, visibly shaking with rage. "You did this, didn't you?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Her smile widened at the look of impudent fury on his face. "But just supposing I did, what would you do? Start a cat fight?"

"You… you…." The enraged Uchiha shook with the force of his feeling as he struggled to find an expletive that would aptly describe the teal-eyed blonde. "You bitch!"

"Takes one to know one." Temari deliberately rammed her shoulder into his as she shoved past him. "And if you ever come sniffing round Ino again you'll see just how much of a bitch I can really be."

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

_Dedi:_ This chapter is dedicated to **shadowphoenix101**

M**use: **On with the fic!

* * *

_A little less conversation, a little more action please,  
All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me,  
A little more bite and a little less bark,  
A little less fight and a little more spark,  
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me,  
Satisfy me baby,_

* * *

_**Friends: Only know a few things about you.**_

_**Best Friends: Could write a very embarrassing biography on your life story...**_

_"I told him I'd come out on top, even if I didn't mean it in the way it turned out. But I never had to ask twice to get him to spar with me after that, if fact he said he'd be **up for it** any time."_

Tenten covered her ears in some vain attempt to block out the two competing, not to mention loud, voices. It proved to be an exorcise in futility. The voices of the blonde duo continued to assault her ears like the lash of a couple of riding whips. Not that the voices themselves were bad, indeed apart from the volume they were the sort of voices that you could spend hours listening to. No the voices weren't problem, it was just what they were saying.

"_And he said that handcuffs weren't his idea of fun, but he sure changed his mind when he found out that **I** wasn't going to be the one wearing them."_

The brunette had known that playing truth or dare with the other kunoichi was a bad idea but she had gone along with it because… well because she couldn't really think of a good reason not to, but was now wishing she could have found one.

"_That's why I always use _emulsion_, because you can use it as body paint. But the most fun is when you have to wash it all off."_

It had started harmlessly enough; a few embarrassing secrets and a few dares that would have made small (male) minds laugh. But then someone, who she was not going to name, though the pink haired medic had gone directly to the top of her hit list, had introduced sake into the proceedings. Warning bells had started to go off at that point but by then it was too late for Tenten to do anything.

"_For a minuet there I really didn't know what he was going to do. It was a toss up between him going completely insane or just ripping his cloths of and joining us. Course in the end he went with the second one as well you know."_

Alcohol only served to make Sakura bitchier, and as it also made Ino and Temari even less, if that was at all possible, inhibited not to mention decidedly more vocal… It was a never-ending circle, with one girl getting more and more worked up while the other two gradually cared less and less. And in the midst of this mess there were she and Hinata.

"_I mean it was worth almost getting caught in the men's bathhouse just for that. Nine-inch Naruto, the boy sure does deserve **that** nickname."_

The poor girl was sitting starring wide-eyed at pair whose voices Tenten was doing her best not to hear. If the indigo haired girl ever repeated any of what she heard all hell would brake lose. The brunette shuddered when she imagined what would happen if she had to explain to Neji where his sweet little cosine had come across any of the information.

"_Oh Kami, I remember that! I thought he was going to have to have the smile surgically removed from his face!"_

Sakura was glaring at the two blondes who where giggling madly while swapping stories, one or two of which the weapons mistress was sure were physically impossible. Or at least she hoped that they were. She had never wanted to know so much about the privet lives of either Temari or Ino, and if one more story involved the blonde leaf kunoichi, Uchiha Sasuke and some gravity defying position they had ended up in Sakura looked like she might kill her one time friend.

"_Really it was like living with a clockwork toy only his clockwork never ran down. He just kept on going and going and going and…"_

Though if she heard one more thing about the Nara not being as lazy as all that when it came to certain things, Tenten felt she might turn homicide herself. So what if the blonde in question was sister to the Kazekage, so what if killing her started a war, what did it matter if it meant Tenten was saved from hearing any more details of the girl's, very active, sex life.

"_Yeah, but he was just the same though. I swear the guy looked as if he had died and gone to heaven. And any time anyone so much as mentioned the words dango or strawberries he'd start grinning like a fool."_

But even as the thought of assassination crossed her mind Tenten shook it off. Sure this wasn't the best situation to be in and there were definitely some things she now knew which she wished she didn't, but there were also a few things that she didn't mind knowing. And she was pretty sure Neji would be very happy she knew them, if only she could get him on his own long enough to show off her new found knowledge.

"_He always said talking wasn't what my mouth did best, but I don't think he'd **ever **been so happy to be proved right in his whole life."_

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished and persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

* * *

_Don't speak,  
I know just what you're saying,  
So please stop explaining,  
Don't tell me cause it hurts,  
Don't speak,  
I know what you're thinking,  
I don't need your reasons,_

* * *

_**Friends: You have to tell them not to tell anyone.**_

_**Best Friends: Already knows not to tell.**_

All it took was one look.

One look which took in a furiously blushing Ino, a slightly wary Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke looking like he had just been punched in the gut and a whole crowd of goggling students. Most of the time Temari left the problem solving to her lazy ass boyfriend, but she didn't need to be a genius to work out what had just happened. And she definitely didn't need him to work out what was going to happen next.

Heads were gonna roll when this was over, she'd make sure of it. And pink haired ones at that.

"Right! That's it! Fuck off you lot, shows over!" She bellowed, pushing her way though the mass of people feeling satisfied when fists and elbows connected with those blocking her path. "I said move your asses!"

A boy started to protest that she couldn't just order them around like that but the words dried to dust on his tongue when he saw the look on her face. It was a well-known fact that it would take someone either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid and extremely suicidal to cross Sabaku no Temari when she was in a bad mood. And at that moment she was so far beyond being in a bad mood that she was almost approaching it from the opposite direction. Her teal eyes were so dark that they seemed almost black and the wild looked on her face was enough to have most of the gapping onlookers heading for the hills.

The undiluted fury rolled off the dark blonde in almost palpable waves, her lips were drawn back in a snarl as she shoved the brave few who were still hanging around out of her way. If they wanted drama then that's just what she would give them. Temari kicked a smirking Inuzuka Kiba hard on the shins when he didn't instantly remove himself from her path and paid no attention to the heated glare he sent her way.

The hallway was almost empty when Temari closed in on her target and her scream of rage as she grabbed Haruno Sakura by the arm got rid of the last of the stragglers.

Temari shot the arctic coloured blonde a sympathetic look and jerked her head towards the still stunned Uchiha, clearly indicating that Ino was on her own with dealing with him. She quickly cast her eyes over Sasuke who was looking as if the world had just fallen down around him before she dragged the pink haired girl up the corridor and into a deserted classroom.

She had spent weeks, no months, trying to get the two of them together. Ino and Sasuke. Sasuke and Ino. They were just so right for each other that she practically could feel it in her god-damn bones. They just fitted. And after all her hard work, a careful word here, a well placed comment there and a hell of a lot of scheming and prodding, when things were just starting to come together Haruno Sakura opened her big fat mouth and ruined it all.

"What kind of brain dead bitch are you?" Was her opening gambit as she pushed the other girl towards a near by chair. "I'm guessing you just blurted out in front of everyone that they kissed, didn't you?"

"Come on!" Sakura wailed piteously, stumbling slightly and only remaining upright thanks to a handy desk. "It's not like Ino told us not to tell anyone what –"

"BAKA!" Temari roared, her eyes flashing and slammed her fist down on a table to emphasise her point. "She shouldn't have to tell you to keep something like that to yourself, you should know better than to go blabbing about it."

"Well we both know the only reason she kissed him in the first place was to get at me!" The rosette girl retorted sounding very aggrieved.

"I'd beat the shit out of you if it weren't for the fact that you're not even worth my time and energy." The words were icy and filled with venom and the pure loathing in Temari's eyes almost took Sakura's breath away.

"But it's not my fault." And this time there was something dangerously close to a whine in her voice and Temari felt her stomach turn in revulsion. "How was I to know that Piggy wanted to keep it a secret?"

"I did." Ino's best friend spat back at her before turning and matching back out of the classroom.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

* * *

Summery 

Drabble Collection – For better or for worse, no matter what, my girl will always come first. (Ino/Temari) (Friendship)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished and persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

* * *

_Lean on me, when you're not strong,  
And I'll be your friend,  
I'll help you carry on,  
For it won't be long,  
'Til I'm gonna need,  
Somebody to lean on,_

* * *

_**Friends: Have never seen you cry.**_

_**Best Friends: Won't tell everyone else you cried... just laugh about it with you in private when you're not down any more.**_

Ino sat on the bed next to her friend and handed her another tissue from the box on her bedside table.

Snuffling and trying vainly to blink back the tears that continued to fall, Temari lent her head on the leaf shinobi's shoulder. She felt pathetic for letting her emotions get the better of her like this. Stupid for the way she could not stop the hiccuping sobs that were shaking her from her head to her toes. She was meant to be better than this, independent and strong willed and yet here she was weeping like a silly little girl.

If you were to ask just about anyone about the sand kunoichi, Sabaku no Temari, you would be told about a tough kick ass female who could hold her own in any fight and would never back down no matter how much the odds were stacked against her. They would talk about the quick thinking, quick-tempered and quick-witted sister of the Kazekage. Suna's mistress of wind was always in control of whatever situation she found herself in. She was ruthless, vicious and had a heart of stone.

Qualities that all added up to make the perfect kunoichi.

But Yamanaka Ino knew better. She knew that Temari wasn't as tough as she liked to make people think. Ino had seen first hand how the navy-eyed female had almost ripped herself apart from the inside out trying to keep her family together. How the pressure to always be the strong one, the one in charge, the older sibling was slowly but surely taking its toll. People always saw Temari as the girl who would always be standing tall, but Ino knew that if those same people didn't let the sand shinobi bend than one day she would eventually brake.

And now she had.

Her beautiful, brave wind princess was seated beside her, tears streaking her face as she buried her head in Ino's shoulder. But the leaf kunoichi didn't mind in the least. It was what she had signed up for, they were best friends and that meant that they would support each other no matter what. Be best friends, soul mates, sisters in every way except blood meant that they would always be there for each other. It didn't mean being just being around when the going was good and heading for the hills when things started to fall apart.

Though it all, there for the best times and there for the worst ones as well. When it had been she on the verge of a breakdown it had been Temari who had come to her rescue so she would be damned if she would let anyone else save her friend. People had been so impressed by how well she had dealt with the betrayal of Uchiha Sasuke, how strong an in-control she had remained. But they had all been wrong. The only reason she hadn't fallen apart was because Temari had been there to hold her up. Only the Suna blonde knew how dark that time had really been for her.

It had only been Temari who had been able to see behind the mask that she wore, to look past the confident smile and see the truth. That Ino was braking apart from the inside out. To the whole of The Hidden Leaf Village the Yamanaka had seemed to be one of the Rookie Nine who coped best with the betrayal of the Uchiha and she became a support for those of her friends who didn't know how to deal with Sasuke's actions. But the Suna kunoichi had seen past the façade of the confident young woman and seen the broken child underneath.

It seemed fitting in a strange way to Ino that as it was Temari who had supported through her darkest time it was only right that it was she who should be there when the rolls were reversed. So many times they had laughed and joked about the fact that there never would be a fairytale prince for either of them. No handsome boy on a great white horse was going to charge in and rescue them. But it was all right because they would always be there to rescue one another.

It was why Yamanaka Ino was probably the only person alive who had ever seen the proud and beautiful Sabaku no Temari brake down and cry. But that was a secret the mind walking kunoichi would take to the grave. Her own and other peoples too if she had to.

* * *

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth


End file.
